No. 3 TCU upsets No. 2 Michigan 51-45 inside wild CFP semifinal

No. 3 TCU upsets No. 2 Michigan 51-45 inside wild CFP semifinal

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) ” Max Duggan accounted for quartet touchdowns, TCU returned place of set of two interceptions for scores accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a frenetic second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to go nearer earliest inside the Fiesta Bowl 51-45 on Saturday darkness accompanied by every one one other accompanied by go forward to the College Football Playoff national championship.

TCU (13-1), the most unlikely team at some hour dated stretch not here the four-team playoff inside its nine-year history, has one additional game left-hand inside its improbable hour dated accompanied by every one one other accompanied by it will go nearer opposed to either No. 1 Georgia or No. 4 Ohio State on Jan. 9 at Sofi Stadium inside Inglewood, California.

Coming off a losing 2021 hour dated accompanied by every one one other accompanied by picked to complete seventh inside the Big 12 inside Sonny Dykes™ earliest year while coach, the Horned Frogs will try to go nearer earliest inside the program™s earliest national championship since 1938.

Duggan accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the Frogs will no indeed indeed uncertainty exist underdogs ” again. That didn™t matter a a large amount of opposed to Michigan (13-1) while they took it to the big, bad Big Ten champions accompanied by every one one other accompanied by turned the Fiesta Bowl into circa-2010, Big 12-style scorefest.

It was the highest scoring Fiesta Bowl at some hour dated accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the second-highest scoring CFP game behind Georgia™s 54-48 Rose Bowl victory opposed to Oklahoma on Jan. 1, 2018.

Maybe it was fitting.

TCU, the little private educational organization from Forth Worth, Texas, that was left-hand not here of the Big 12 when it earliest formed inside the mid-1990s, became the earliest team from the conference to go nearer earliest inside a CFP game accompanied by every one one other accompanied by will exist the earliest to amuse oneself for a national title since Texas inside 2009.

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This one was 34-16 accompanied by 2:46 left-hand inside the third quarter accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the Hypnotoads, a nickname borrowed for the animated TV show Futurama, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by their purple-clad fans could sensory ability their wild ride wasn™t over.

Of course, nothing has go nearer uncomplicated for these Frogs all year. During their unbeaten constant season, they won septet unswerving games by 10 points or fewer.

What followed was five touchdown drives ” accompanied by a TCU turnover tucked inside inside the centre of ” every one one taking less than a minute.

Roman Wilson™s 18-yard touchdown sprint on a reverse accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a 2-point conversion pulled Michigan within 41-38 accompanied by 14:13 left-hand inside the fourth quarter.

Back came the Frogs, unleashing their finest weapon. Future first-round preliminary report pick Quentin Johnston took a short crosser from Duggan accompanied by every one one other accompanied by turned it up the sideline for a 76-yard consequence that place the Frogs up 10.

Duggan threw for 225 yards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place of set of two interceptions accompanied by every one one other accompanied by ran for 57. Johnston had sextet catches for 163 yards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Emari Demercado, picking up the slack for an injured Kendre Miller, ran for 150. All of that opposed to a defence that ranked third inside the nation coming in.

TCU eventually got a place an extremity to on Michigan™s following ownership accompanied by every one one other accompanied by turned it into a 33-yard meadow goal by Griffin Kell to go up 51-38 accompanied by 10:02 left.

After the Frogs accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Wolverines combined for 62 points inside 20 second-half minutes, the step was throttled back. But Michigan gash the lead to sextet accompanied by 3:14 left-hand on J.J. McCarthy™s 5-yard TD go to Wilson.

McCarthy was spectacular at times accompanied by 343 yards passing, 52 rushing accompanied by every one one other accompanied by trio touchdowns. He excessively made place of set of two murderer mistakes, tossing pick-sixes inside every one one half.

TCU couldn™t ice it accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Michigan got one additional shot, starting from its 25 accompanied by 52 seconds left-hand ” nevertheless couldn™t obtain earliest earliest down.

Before TCU could dash up inside victory formation, there was an officials™ analysis for targeting on the Frogs. What was another minute or so of drama inside a hour dated filled it for TCU?

The amuse oneself was clean. Duggan, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, took one last snap accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a knee accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the exhausted Frogs rushed the meadow accompanied by every one one other accompanied by celebrated under pile of purple accompanied by every one one other accompanied by white confetti.

The Frogs hopped not here to a 14-0 lead inside the earliest quarter, accompanied by safety Bud Clark making place of set of two of the biggest plays of the game. First, he chased down Michigan™s Donovan Edwards to place an extremity to a lengthy touchdown on the extremely earliest amuse oneself from scrimmage.

TCU at that hour dated used a goal dash stand ” stymieing a Philly Special-style fourth down amuse oneself by Michigan ” to retain the Wolverines off the board.

On Michigan™s following possession, Clark broke fast on a hurl to the sideline by McCarthy accompanied by every one one other accompanied by raced 41 yards accompanied by a pick-6 that place TCU up 7-0.

Duggan completed a lengthy touchdown operate accompanied by a 1-yard plunge accompanied by 2:27 left-hand inside the earliest quarter accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the Frogs were up 14-0 on touchdown-favorite Wolverines.

Michigan broke the ice accompanied by a meadow goal accompanied by every one one other accompanied by at that hour dated looked while if it had flipped the game spine its way.

Rod Moore picked off a tipped go at midfield by Duggan accompanied by every one one other accompanied by McCarthy went deep to Roman Wilson on the following amuse oneself for what appeared to exist a 51-yard touchdown pass. A analysis overturned the call accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place up Michigan inside the 1. No strain for a team accompanied by the nation™s finest insulting line, right?

Michigan ran a fast hand off to fullback Kalel Mullings, who fumbled. TCU recovered, putting down another Michigan scoring threat.

Coach Jim Harbaugh™s Wolverines place up a better showing inside their following unswerving CFP semifinal appearances, nevertheless will lament the missed opportunities. Their earliest trio first-and-goal situations produced trio points.

Michigan fell to 1-6 inside bowl games under Harbaugh.

UP NEXT

TCU: The Frogs are a combined 1-9-1 all-time opposed to Georgia accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Ohio State.

Michigan: The Wolverines not shut following hour dated inside the Big House opposed to East Carolina.

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP accompanied by every one one other accompanied by hear at http://www.appodcasts.com

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